Report on The Cubans are Coming! Glasgow
On Thursday 28 of February members of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Glasgow, attended a packed conference hall in Glasgow’s Central Hotel to hear a delegation from Cuba give an inspirational talk on Cuban Socialism in the 21st century. The series of talks that had been arranged by Rock Around the Blockade, was far travelled. Spreading the word of the Cuban Revolution, they started in London stopping in various places in England to finally finish the tour in Glasgow. People from many anti-imperialist groups sat attentively to listen to Orlando Borrego and Jesus Garcia explain the politics and economical ideas of Che Guevara and Cuba. Firstly, Jesus Garcia, a physics graduate from Havana University and graduate of the Academy of Science in the U.S.S.R., began by breaking down the electoral system in Cuba which was born from the evolution of the Cuban socio-political process. Jesus holds the position of delegate to the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power. Initially, he explained, that at the very top of the structure that exists you have the people of Cuba. It is they who vote for their Municipal Assembly. One delegate is elected for every 20,000 inhabitants or fractions over 10,000. The Assemblies are elected every two years. With the aid of a drawing board, Jesus, composed the next level, the Provincial Assembly. There are 14 Provincial Assemblies altogether. All members are elected onto this to represent the Municipal Assemblies. This too is elected every two years. The final level, at the very bottom, the National Assembly. Elections for this are every 5 years. Nobody from the National Assembly is able to nominate candidates or are involved in any part of the process. It is the people at the public assemblies who determine who will represent them. The way in which, Jesus, charted the system on the board served to emphasised that those who have most sway and power in the country are the people of Cuba and not as the aggressive western governments would have you believe the totalitarian head of the Communist Party. A definition of ‘democracy’ is a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or there elected agents. No where is this more true than Cuba. Then stepped up, Orlando Borrego, a very humorous and charismatic man who has lead a colourful life. After joining the Revolution in 1952, something which proclaimed proudly yet was quick to show humility adding it was an honour to serve the Cuban people. When Che Guevara and his army of rebels marched into central Cuba, Orlando, joined them working his way to first lieutenant at the time of victory. After the victory of the Revolution, Che promoted Orlando to various positions throughout his life. It was clear that he was a very trusted and valued comrade to those in the Revolution. Orlando then went onto tell how he came to be on the speaking tour describing those who organised it, “Great friends of Cuba.” Again he went onto tell of his great pride in the achievements of the Revolution even under the harsh conditions of the blockade. Mentioning that there is nearly 100% literacy on the island. Something which was earlier in the evening compared to Britain’s illiteracy rate of 20%. How there are more than enough doctors for the island people, that they don’t send armies to occupy other countries, they send doctors and nurses. With free health care he added to the list of free education. Something that most first world countries couldn’t boast. Admitting though that because of the free education, the workers in the agrarian sector are becoming lawyers and doctors that there will soon be a shortage of people to grow the food but that is something that the National Assembly will resolve in time. He spoke of how Che made the ministers of the time work for one month carrying out manual labour such as farming and mining. He done this to make sure that nobody forgot what it was like for the workers. This enabled them to mix and debate with the workers on a more personal level but more importantly to never forget the job of the National Assembly was to serve the people. After various anecdotes he finished by thanking the hall for listening to him for such a long period of time. Then went onto say in jest, that he couldn’t convey in thirty minutes the complexities of the economic thinking Che, it would require many, many hours, something which he would gladly do but the crowd would whistle him instead of clapping him if he carried on talking. Afterwards, Jesus and Orlando fielded a number of questions from the crowd, dispelling the myths that the western propaganda machines had given rise to. Questions ranged from free speech to whether or not the tourist trade created in-equality. They answered as best they could although some answers that required explanations had to be brief as time was of the essence. To finish the hall gave the Cubans a long standing ovation. Modestly, the Cubans applauded the crowd, thankful that they were aloud to share their knowledge of the country they love with so many pairs of ears willing to listen.
On Thursday 28 of February members of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Glasgow, attended a packed conference hall in Glasgow’s Central Hotel to hear a delegation from Cuba give an inspirational talk on Cuban Socialism in the 21st century. The series of talks that had been arranged by Rock Around the Blockade, was far travelled. Spreading the word of the Cuban Revolution, they started in London stopping in various places in England to finally finish the tour in Glasgow. People from many anti-imperialist groups sat attentively to listen to Orlando Borrego and Jesus Garcia explain the politics and economical ideas of Che Guevara and Cuba. Firstly, Jesus Garcia, a physics graduate from Havana University and graduate of the Academy of Science in the U.S.S.R., began by breaking down the electoral system in Cuba which was born from the evolution of the Cuban socio-political process. Jesus holds the position of delegate to the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power. Initially, he explained, that at the very top of the structure that exists you have the people of Cuba. It is they who vote for their Municipal Assembly. One delegate is elected for every 20,000 inhabitants or fractions over 10,000. The Assemblies are elected every two years. With the aid of a drawing board, Jesus, composed the next level, the Provincial Assembly. There are 14 Provincial Assemblies altogether. All members are elected onto this to represent the Municipal Assemblies. This too is elected every two years. The final level, at the very bottom, the National Assembly. Elections for this are every 5 years. Nobody from the National Assembly is able to nominate candidates or are involved in any part of the process. It is the people at the public assemblies who determine who will represent them. The way in which, Jesus, charted the system on the board served to emphasised that those who have most sway and power in the country are the people of Cuba and not as the aggressive western governments would have you believe the totalitarian head of the Communist Party. A definition of ‘democracy’ is a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or there elected agents. No where is this more true than Cuba. Then stepped up, Orlando Borrego, a very humorous and charismatic man who has lead a colourful life. After joining the Revolution in 1952, something which proclaimed proudly yet was quick to show humility adding it was an honour to serve the Cuban people. When Che Guevara and his army of rebels marched into central Cuba, Orlando, joined them working his way to first lieutenant at the time of victory. After the victory of the Revolution, Che promoted Orlando to various positions throughout his life. It was clear that he was a very trusted and valued comrade to those in the Revolution. Orlando then went onto tell how he came to be on the speaking tour describing those who organised it, “Great friends of Cuba.” Again he went onto tell of his great pride in the achievements of the Revolution even under the harsh conditions of the blockade. Mentioning that there is nearly 100% literacy on the island. Something which was earlier in the evening compared to Britain’s illiteracy rate of 20%. How there are more than enough doctors for the island people, that they don’t send armies to occupy other countries, they send doctors and nurses. With free health care he added to the list of free education. Something that most first world countries couldn’t boast. Admitting though that because of the free education, the workers in the agrarian sector are becoming lawyers and doctors that there will soon be a shortage of people to grow the food but that is something that the National Assembly will resolve in time. He spoke of how Che made the ministers of the time work for one month carrying out manual labour such as farming and mining. He done this to make sure that nobody forgot what it was like for the workers. This enabled them to mix and debate with the workers on a more personal level but more importantly to never forget the job of the National Assembly was to serve the people. After various anecdotes he finished by thanking the hall for listening to him for such a long period of time. Then went onto say in jest, that he couldn’t convey in thirty minutes the complexities of the economic thinking Che, it would require many, many hours, something which he would gladly do but the crowd would whistle him instead of clapping him if he carried on talking. Afterwards, Jesus and Orlando fielded a number of questions from the crowd, dispelling the myths that the western propaganda machines had given rise to. Questions ranged from free speech to whether or not the tourist trade created in-equality. They answered as best they could although some answers that required explanations had to be brief as time was of the essence. To finish the hall gave the Cubans a long standing ovation. Modestly, the Cubans applauded the crowd, thankful that they were aloud to share their knowledge of the country they love with so many pairs of ears willing to listen.